Oven door construction



Jan. 2, 1951 H. M. REEVES OVEN DOOR CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledApril 12, 1948 Jan. 2, 1951 Filed April 12, 1948 H. M. R

EEVES 2,536,956

OVEN DOOR CONSTRUCTION Z5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I IIIIIIIIII" 9 WM Jerbev-k)Qeeves Jan. 2, 1951 H. M. REEVES OVEN DOOR CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet3 Filed April 12, 1948 Patented Jim; 2, 1951 Herbert M. Reeves.

Florence Stove Company,

Kankakee, Ill., assignor to Gardner, Mass., a

corporation of Massachusetts Application April 12, 1948, Serial No.20,435

9 Claims. (Cl. 126-200) The invention relates to doors for cookstoves orranges and more particularly to doors for closing the oven compartmentsof such stoves.

One object of the invention is to provide a door of the above generalcharacter adapted to be constructed from simple. inexpensive sheet metalstampings and while light in weight, is very strong and rigid.

Another object is to provide an oven door having front and rear panelsof enameled sheet metal assembled and secured together in a novel manneraffording maximum protection to the enamel coating of the panels in themanufacture of the door and when the door f z in use.

Another object is to provide an oven door having a double glazed windowopening constructed and arranged in a novel manner which permits theopening to be made of relatively small size so as to minimize heatlosses without decreasing the effective range of vision through thewindow.

Still another object is to provide an insulated type oven door having adouble glazed window and embodying novel means for strengthening thedoor and for supporting the glass panes therein.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description of'the preferred embodimentillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of a cookstove equipped withan oven door embodying the features of the invention, the door beingshown in closed position.

Fig.2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the door in open position.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the door with parts broken away to show detailsof the internal structure.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken in a vertical plane substantially onthe line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig.5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in a horizontal planesubstantially on the line [-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an exploded view of the door liner and the reinforcingstructure associatedtherewith.

Fig. 'l is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner in whichthe front window pane is supported on and secured to the door structure.

Fig. 8 is a rear view of the reinforcing member forming a part of thedoor.

.While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and.alternative constructions, I

have-shown in the drawings and will herein detend to limit scribe indetail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I donot thereby inthe invention to the'specific form disclosed, "but intendto cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling withinthe spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appendedclaims.

For purposes of illustration, the invention has been shown as embodiedin a door it) associated with the oven II of a cabinet type cookstoveI2. In stoves of this type the doors are made of substantial thicknessfor the accommodation of a layer of insulating'material and are mountedso as to lie substantially flush with the insulated drawer and doorpanels l3 provided for the broiler and utility compartments of thestove.

The door ID, in its preferred form, comprises an outer or face panel 15(Figs. 1 and 4) and an inner or liner panel l6 (Figs. 2 and 4) both inthe form of sheet metal stampings assembled and secured together inspaced interfltting relation to provide smooth inner and outer surfacesfor the door. These surfaces are usually finished with a coating ofvitreous enamel to enhance their appearance and to facilitate cleaning.The particular door illustrated is provided with a window ll throughwhich the contents of the oven may be observed while the door is closed,the window being double glazed and embodying features of constructionwhich reduce heat loss, as will appear presently.

In accordance with the invention, the face and liner panels I5 and [6are constructed and secured together in a novel manner, which permitsthe front and rear faces of the door to be flnished with an enamelcoating completely free of flaws or defects and which effectuallyprotects the enamel coating from damage due to rough closing or slammingof the door. To this end the face panel l5 isformed with a rearwardlyturned flange 20 and the liner panel I6 is formed with a forwardlyturned flange 2| around their respective marginal edges. The liner panelis dimensioned so that the flange 2| is adapted to fit into the flange20 of the face panel in telescoping relation with a slight but definiteclearance between the flanges at all points, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The panels 15 and I6 are secured together in assembled relation by meansof connecting links 22 (Fig. 5) coacting with the flanges of therespective panels and constructed so as to provide a substantial degreeof resiliency in the connection between the panels. The links 22 arealike n. con truction, each having generally parallel end sections 22and 24 oil'set laterally with respect to each other and connected by anintegral intermediate section 25. The intermediate section 28 ispreferably disposed substantially perpendicular to the end sections 22and 24 and is of a length such as to permit a resilient yielding of thelink upon application of pressure lengthwise thereof.

In the assembled door the end sections 23 of the links are permanentlysecured, as by spot welding, to the outermost flange of the assembly, inthis instance the flange 20 of the face panel l5. l'bur such links areprovided in the present instance, two at each side of the door. Theother end sections 24 of the links, which are offset inwardly from theflange 20 so as to extend along the inner face of the flange 2| of theliner panel, are removably secured to the latter flange, as by screws26. Preferably, the flange 21 is formed with inwardly pressed bosses 21for seating against the links and providing recesses in the outer faceof the flange for the accommodation of the heads of the screws 26. Thelinks 22 may also be formed with inwardly turned flanges 28 adapted toengage the inner face of the liner panel 14 to locate the latter inproperly spaced relation to the front panel l and thereby facilitate theassembly of the panels.

As the connecting links 22 are secured to the flanges of the panels I!and ii, the faces of the panels are left free of electrode marks orscars so that they can be finished with a flawles enamel coating.Moreover, the enamel coating of the faces of the panels is protectedfrom shocks resulting from contact of the liner panel with the stoveframe in the closing of the door as such shocks are largely absorbed bythe resiliency of the links 22 and any unabsorbed force are transmittedto the flanges 20 and 2| instead of to the face portions of the panels.The danger of cracking or chipping the enamel on the faces of the dooris thus materially reduced. These advantages are obtained withoutsacrifice of sturdiness or durability, and at the same time assembly ofthe door is greatly facilitated.

In order to make the door Ill substantially rigid and capable ofsupporting relatively heavy loads without deformation when in openposition, reinforcing means is provided between the face and the linerpanels and It. The reinforcing means comprises a stiffening member 30preferably in the form of a sheet metal stamping rigidly secured to theinner face of one of the panels, in this instance the liner panel i6. Asshown in Fig. 8, the member 30 comprises a generally rectangular steelplate 3| having its central portion 32 offset from or spaced forwardlyfrom the plane of the sheet and connected therewith by integral webs 33.Additional stifiness is obtained by the provision of upstanding flanges34 and 34 respectively along the side and the top and bottom edges ofthe sheet. As shown in Figs. 4 and the flange 34' at the lower edge ofthe member is rigidly connected by a reinforcing plate 35 with theoflset section 32 of the member to provide a rigid, box-like structurewithin the door.

The stiffening member 30 is preferably attached to the liner panel at aplurality of points adjacent its marginal edges, as, for example, at thefour corners. Such attachment may be effected in any preferred manner, aby spot welding or by screws or bolts 36 a shown by way of example. Thespace between the non-offset portion of the member and the face panel I!may be 111184 wit 4 suitable insulating material 41 to minimise thetransmission of heat through the door.

In the better grades of stoves the oven doors are commonly provided withwindow openings which are usually double glazed to minimize heat 1055through the window. When used with such doors the stiflening member 24is constructed in a novel manner to support and properly space the glasspanes with which the window openings in the door are glazed. Moreover,the construction is such that the window opening may be made of minimumsize without objectionably decreasing the range of vision therethrough.

For accomplishment of the above results, the offset central portion 22of the plate 3! is cut out to provide a window opening 40 ofsubstantially the same dimensions as the window H in the face panel II.The latter opening is bordered by a generally rounded inturned flange4i, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, having its inner edge spaced from theplate section 22 sufliciently to receive a glass pane 42. In theparticular door illlustrated, the flange 4| i tapered slightly withrespect to the plane of the panel 15 and the offset portion 32 of theplate 31 is similarly inclined.

The pane 42 is thus disposed at a small angle to the plane of the doorand more nearly normal to the line of vision of a person looking intothe oven.

To simplify construction of the door and to facilitate its assembly,provision is made for supporting the front pane 42 directly on thestiflening member 30. For this purpose a series of clips 43, four inthis instance, are spot welded or otherwise secured at one end to thefront face of the plate section 32 in positions to coaet with the fourcorners of the front pane. These clips may comprise rectangular stripsof sheet metal having a central opening 44 stamped therein foraccommodating the corners of the pane. The clips are applied to the doorwhile in a flat condition, as shown in Fig. 6, and after installation ofthe glass pane, are bent back upon the front surface thereof, as shownin Fig. '1.

The stifl'enim member 30 and liner panel I are constructed and arrangedto cooperate in supporting an inner glass pane 45 and in guiding thepane for s-dgewise movement for installing it in and removing it fromthe door. To this end the liner panel i6 is formed with a window openingsomewhat larger than the rear opening in the stiffening member 30 andsuch opening is bordered by a raised rib 46 having inturned flanges 41framing the opening. At the sides of the opening the flanges 41 areextended inwardly to abut against the adjacent face of the plate 3i andare spaced spar substantially the width of the pane 5 to engage the sideedges thereof and confine the pane against lateral movement. The flanges41 at the top and bottom of the opening have their free edge portions 42(Fig. 4) bent into a plane substantially parallel to the plane of theliner panel and spaced from the plate 3| to provide clearance for thepane 45. Support for the pane is provided by lugs 49 struck out from theplate 3! and projecting under the flange 41 at the bottom of the windowopening.

With the above construction, the marginal edge portions of the pane 48engage along its side and bottom edges with the plate II and the pane isnormally held in engagement therewith by the flanges 41 at the top andbottom edges of the window opening in the liner panel 18. Downwardmovement of the pane is limited by the lugs 40, but the clearanceProvided at the upper edge of the window opening by the rib It permitsthe pane to be shifted 'edgewise in a direction upwardly of the door tofree its lower edge from the flange 41. when the lower edgefis thusfreed, the pane may be tilted clear of the liner panel and withdrawnfrom the door.

To provide a rangeof vision suflicient to permit proper visualinspection of the oven and at the same time keep the window openingwithin minimum dimensions, the openings in the face and liner panels land it are relatively proportioned and arranged in a novelandadvantageous manner. More particularly, the window opening in the facepanel is made substantially smaller than the corresponding opening inthe liner panel l6 and the lower edge of the latter opening is offsetdownwardly with respect to the flrst-mentioned opening, as shown in Fig.4. Additionally, the side edges of the inner window opening are offsetoutwardly from the corresponding edges of the front window opening, asshown in Fig. 5.

In view of the downwardly and laterally ofiset relation of the innerwindow opening with respect to the outer opening, the webs 33 Joiningthe plate 3| with its offset section 32 are sharply inclined downwardlyand laterally to define an expanding range of vision when looking intothe oven. In other words, by relatively proportioning and arranging thewindow openings in the panels l5 and It in the manner set forth, it ispossible to minimize the dimensions of the outer window opening and atthe same time increase the effective range of vision through the windownotwithstanding the fact that the door is made of substantial thicknessto minimize loss of heat.-

The invention also contemplates the attachment of the hinge structure tothe door in a novel manner which provides greater strength and rigidityand which relieves the enameled portions of the door of strains. Whilethe door may be provided with hinges of any preferred type, those shownby way of illustration are generally similar in construction to thehinges disclosed and claimed in my copending applicat on Serial No.

650,768, filed February 28, 1946, now abandoned.

This hinge comprises a pair of members 50 and 5| pivotally securedtogether and adapted for attachm nt respectively to the door and thestove frame. It will be understood, of course, that the door is providedwith two hinges, one at each side. I

In the particular hinge shown, the member 50 which is attached to thedoor comprises an elongated sheet metal strip having one end portion ofapproximately the same w'dth as the flange 34 on the stiffening plate 3|and adapted to be ing any possibility of cracking or chipping the enamelcoating thereon.

- invention provides an oven door of novel and adsecured thereto as byspot welding. The other end of the strip is offset rearwardly so as toproject through the inner face of the door and to extend in the form ofan arm substantially beyond the lower edge of the door. as shown in Fig.

6. The liner panel I6 is provided wth suitable slots 52 for theaccommodation of the projecting ends of the hinge members.

Wheninstalled in the stove, the member 5| is suitably secured to thestove frame as by a stud 53, thus providing a fixed base upon'which thehinge member may pvot. As the side flanges of the stiffening plate 3|and the members 50 of the hinges are disposed in face-to-face relationthrough a substantial portion of the length of the members, a strong andrigid connection is insured. Moreover, strans incident to the openingand closing of the door are not transferred to the outer face of thedoor structure, thereby avoidvantageous' construction; The door isadapted to be fabricated from simple, inexpensive sheet metal stamping,thus producing a structure which is light'in weight yet strong andrigid. By reason of the novel manner in which the parts of the door arearranged and interconnected, marring of the front or rear faces of thedoor is avoided, thus enabling the faces to be finished with flawlessenamel coatings. enamel coating is effectually protected from damagewhen subjected to rough treatment.

The improved door also provides a window construction which affordsmaximum rangeof vision, while maintaining the dimensions of the windowopening ata minimum so that heat lossesare substantially reduced.Moreover, the window opening is completely framed in a manner such thatit presents a neat and attractive appearance.

I claim as my invention:

1. An oven door comprising, in combination, a face section including agenerally rectangular sheet metal panel having rearwardly turned flangesalong its marginal edges, a liner section comprising a sheet metal panelhaving forwardly turned flanges along its marginal edges adapted to fitwithin the flanges of said face section, and sheet metal-connectinglinks coacting with the flanges of said two sections to secura'thesections together, said links bein permanently secured to the flanges ofsaid face section andthe flanges of said liner section being removablysecured to said links.

2. An oven door comprising, in combination, a face section including agenerally rectangular sheet metal panel having rearwardly turned flangesalong its marginal edges, a liner section comprising a sheet metal panelhaving forwardly turned flanges along its marginal edges adapted to fitwithin the flanges of said face section, and sheet metal connectinglinks secured at oPP Site ends to the flanges of said two sectionsto'connect the sectons in assembled relation, the end portions of saidlinks being offset with respect to each other to' provide a substantialdegree of resiliency in the connection between the sections.

3. An oven doorcomprising, in combination, a pair of sheet-metal panelssecured together in spaced parallel relation, a stiffening membercomprising a metal plate substantially smaller than said panels andhavin its marginal edges rigidly secured to the inner face of one-of thepanels, upturned flanges on the side edges of said plate, and hingemembers for said door rigidly secured to said flanges and projmtingthrough the panel forming the inner face of the door.

4. An oven door comprising, in combination, pair of sheet 'metal panelssecured together in spaced parallel relation, said 'panels having alinedwindow" openings," a stiffening member comprising a metal platesubstantially smaller than said panelsand having its marginal edgesrigidly secured to'one of the panels, said plate having'its' centralportion offset from" the plane of the plate so asto lieclos'ely adjacentthe other of saidpanels andhaving an' opening substantialdoor structure.

Moreover, the

5. An oven door comprising, in combination, a pair of sheet metal panelssecured together in spaced parallel relation, said panels having alinedwindow openings, glass panes for closing said window openings, astifiening member comprising a metal plate substantially smaller thansaid panels and having its marginal edges rigidly secured to one of thepanels, said plate having its central portion offset from the plane ofthe plate so as to lie closely adjacent the other of said panels andhaving an opening substantially alined with the window opening in saidother panel, means for securing one of the glass panes to said plateindependently of the adjacent one of said panels in a position effectiveto close the window opening in the panel, and lu s struck out from saidplate for supporting the other glass pane in spaced relation to said onepane, the offset portion of said plate being operative to determine thespacing of said glass panes.

6. An oven door comprising, in combination,

I a facesection comprising sheet metal panel having a rectangular windowopening in its upper central portion, a liner section secured to saidface section and comprising a. second sheet metal panel having arectangular window opening with its side and bottom edges oifsetlaterally and downwardly with respect to the corresponding side andbottom edges of the opening in said first panel, a stifiening membercomprising a metal plate secured at its marginal edges to the inner faceof one of said panels, said plate having its central portion offset fromthe plane of the plate and joined to the marginal edge portion of theplate by webs inclined at an angle to said plane, said offset portion ofthe plate having an opening of substantially the same shape anddimensions as the opening in said first panel and alined therewith, saidwebs meeting the marginal edge portions of the plate substantially inline with the side and bottom edges of the opening in said second panel,and glass panes interposed between said plate and both said panels toclose the openings in the panels.

7. In an oven door, in combination, a generally rectangular sheet metalpanel having its outer surface enameled and defining the front face ofthe door, a rearwardly turned flange formed around the marginal edges ofsaid panel, a second sheet metal panel assembled in spaced parallelrelation with said first panel, a forwardly turned flange formed aroundthe marginal edges of said second panel, said second panel beingdimensioned to permit the flange thereon to fit into the flange of saidfirst panel in telescoping relation, a plurality of connecting linkssecuring said panels together, each of said links having oifset endsections disposed substantially parallel to the flanges of therespective panels and rigidly secured thereto, and an intermediatesection connecting said end sections, said intermediate section beingdisposed substantially parallel to the plane of the door and eifectiveto minimize the shock transmitted to said first panel from said secondpanel incident to the closing of the door.

8. In an oven door, in combination, a generally rectangular sheet metalpanel having its outer surface enameled and defining the front face ofthe door, rearwardly turned flange formed around the marginal edges ofsaid panel. a second panel assembled with said first panel to define therear face of the door, a forwardly turned flange formed around themarginal edges of said second panel, said panels being dimensioned topermit the flange of one of the panels to fit into the flange of theother panel in telescoping relation, a plurality of connecting linkscooperating with the flanges of said panels to secure the panelstogether, each of said links having end sections disposed in spacedparallel planes and connected by an intermediate section substantiallyperpendicular to the .end sections, one end section of each link beingsecured to the outer one of the flanges and the other end section beingsecured to the inner flange, and inwardly pressed bosses in said innerflange providing seats for the end sections of the links secured to thatflange.

9. An oven door comprising, in combination, a face section comprising asheet metal panel having a rectangular window opening in its uppercentral portion, a liner section secured to said face section andcomprising a second sheet metal panel having rectangular window openingwith its side and bottom edges offset laterally and downwardly withrespect to the corersponding side and bottom edges of the opening insaid first panel, a stiffening member comprising a metal plate securedat its marginal edges to the inner face of one of said panels, saidplate having its central portion offset from the plane of the plate andjoined to the marginal edge portion of the plate by webs inclined at anangle to said plane, said offset portion of the plate having an openingof substantially the same shape and dimensions as the opening in saidfirst panel and alined therewith, said webs meeting the marginal edgeportions of the plate substantially in line with the side and bottomedges of the opening in said second panel, glass panes for closing theopenings in said panels, means for securing one of said panes to saidplate independently of the adjacent panel, and means on said plate andthe other panel cooperating to removably retain the other pane inassembled relation with the door.

. HERBERT M. REEVES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,108,810 Stockstrom Aug. 25,1914 1,315,039 Roy Sept. 2, 1919 1,560,879 Tinnerman Nov. 10, 19251,623,408 Harter Apr. 5, 1927 1,677,286 Moll July 17, 1928 1,873,088Wilde Aug. 23, 1932 2,029,432 Martin Feb. 4, 1936 2,072,820 Kessler Mar.2, 1937 2,253,398 Reifenberg Aug. 19, 1941 2,293,399 Moecker et al Aug.18, 1942 2,319,004 Lotter May 11, 1943 2,394,176 Hillebrand Feb. 5, 19462,438,270 Cotes Mar. 23, 1948 2,466,847 Hardwick Apr. 12, 1949 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 354,263. Great Britain Aug. 6, 1931

